


Socks for Christmas

by delighted



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Fluff, Holidays, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 09:45:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8974717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delighted/pseuds/delighted
Summary: Just a little holiday fluff: a tiny bit sassy, a tiny bit sexy... and very, very sweet.





	

**Author's Note:**

> ....Hope it brings a little joy. :-)

Steve turned the lights down, turned the music up... he glanced over his shoulder to where the gifts were, took a sip of his bourbon, found himself swaying to the music—maybe he’d had a bit too much in way of “just to loosen up a bit.”

Danny should be here soon, he thought. Tony was crooning, the tree was twinkling, and Steve might just possibly have cranked the AC a little too much to give the air a bit of a chill... because, really, what was the point of the glowing lights, the fancy (and very expensive) barrel-aged whiskey, the delectable appetizers, the sweet sprinkled cookies... if things didn’t wind up with Danny and him, on the sofa, you know... under the metaphorical mistletoe.

The doorbell rang, which was itself surprising, as Danny: one, had his own key; and two, typically just walked in without knocking.

He smirked, set his drink down, and answered the door.

“Hey, babe—merry Christmas.”

Shit, Danny looked _hot_. Hair highly styled, crisp white shirt open maybe a little too far (not that Steve was complaining mind you), black dress slacks, and loafers, no socks. He seemed to be posing. And holding—get this, a lei.

Steve was pretty sure he growled. Just a little. But a growl nonetheless.

Danny looked pleased, stepped inside, placed the lei around Steve’s neck, kissed each cheek, lingering far longer than necessary, breathing a little too obviously, and—swear to god, slithering away, kicking his shoes off as he went.

Steve had to check and make sure he wasn’t drooling, followed Danny out to the back lanai, where he’d hung lights, set out food and the booze, and where music flowed through the window, softly, just enough for dancing—Steve had made sure.

Tony’d been replaced by a vintage jazzy number that sounded like childhood and golden glowing lights and the smell of hair tonic, ladies in pearls and aprons, and endless platters of cookies washed down with mysterious punch in crystal cups.

From the look on Danny’s face, he had far less innocent thoughts in mind, and Steve pushed his own reminiscences away in favor of his date’s ideas of how the evening might progress. The lei had been a bit of a hint, he hoped.

Sure enough, Danny poured himself an ample glass, downed it, poured another.

“I’m not driving home,” he said, as Steve watched him, wide-eyed.

“No, I gathered not....” Steve managed, swallowing hard.

“Good,” Danny said, pulling Steve close, moving them both to the mellow tune, just barely recognizable as a Christmas song.

Danny didn’t seem to feel that the subject matter should dictate his dancing style, and was pressing himself against Steve as though he were auditioning for a reality show about cops and ballroom dancing... or something... Steve’s mind was going to some very interesting places, and he blamed Danny’s movements almost entirely. The bourbon, he gave a slight nod to, in passing, but he was very much distracted by where Danny’s hands were finding themselves.... Yes, that was absolutely fascinating, Steve decided. If kissing didn’t happen soon, someone was going to have some explaining to do. We’ll just leave it at that for now, shall we?

“I’m starving,” Danny said, as his hands indicated a hunger of a different sort. “What’re those?” He asked, nodding his head in the direction of the platters of food. His hair, stunningly, didn’t move at all. Steve allowed himself a moment of imagining mussing it up entirely.

Pulling himself back to the present, he managed to answer: “Uh, food.” Which earned him a laugh and a smack on the rear from Danny, who evidently didn’t feel it was a sufficient enough response.

“What kind of food, babe,” Danny breathed into Steve’s ear, taking a nip on the earlobe at the end, which made Steve draw a sharp breath, and sent most of the blood in his body decidedly away from his brain.

“Uh, good food,” he replied, finding, somehow, greater coherence. Or, I guess, not so much. He was kind of mesmerized by the golden hairs sticking out of the vee of Danny’s shirt. Talking, and well, _thinking_ , were probably not to be much expected from him, from this point on.

“That is so helpful, babe,” Danny cooed, running his hand through Steve’s hair (product free, thank you—he wanted it soft and inviting, unlike the hard shellac of Danny’s coiffure), down his cheek, and cupping his chin, pulling him in for a teasing brush of a kiss across his lips.

Steve didn’t even try to disguise his _want_ at this point.  He licked his lips, as Danny pulled back, clearly determined to actually eat food. Steve wasn’t sure how he could think of such a thing at a time like this, but he had gone to the trouble of getting the food, so....

“Oh, god, these are good,” Danny said, around a mouthful of something savory and buttery and rich.... Steve seriously considered licking the crumbs off Danny’s lips, as he watched his partner eat three in quick succession.

“Alright, you really are starving,” Steve said, almost laughing. “Danny. Sit. Eat. What have you been doing all day?”

Danny let out a breath, sank into the chair closest to him, and pulled the platter of food closer. “Shopping. For the kids.”

Steve couldn’t hide the breath he sucked in. “Danny....”

“I know, I know, you warned me.”

“Oh, Danny,” Steve let out a slow breath.

“It’s okay, I got everything on the list, I even got it wrapped, thanks to, of all people, Adam—don’t tell anyone, but his gift-wrapping abilities surpass my mom’s.”

Steve laughed. “Your secret is safe with me,” he said, sitting next to Danny, grabbing one of the admittedly delicious nibbles himself—he’d eaten several already, but they really were good.

Danny turned towards Steve. “But I’m now done, ready, and I plan on _celebrating_ tonight.”

Something about the way Danny said “celebrating” made shivers run up Steve’s arms. He’d spent the day cleaning the house—including changing the sheets, for which he was suddenly very grateful. But he was distracted from his gratitude almost as soon as it began, as Danny’s bare foot was finding its way up Steve’s leg. He swallowed hard and took another gulp of his drink, then stood and pulled Danny back up for more dancing.

Either Danny had eaten enough in those brief moments, or he’d forgotten his blood sugar, or else he was simply distracted by Steve in the lei. Regardless, he easily left the food behind, as Steve pulled him close.

“Ah, two days of peace and relaxation, Steven,” Danny sighed, leaning in, resting his weight against Steve’s chest. “One day of the kids, one full day of the kids. Just me and the kids.” He pulled back and looked in Steve’s eyes—his own were sparkling. “Unless you want to come, too...” he said hesitantly, biting his lip.

Steve’s eyes went wide. “Danny, are you sure?”

Danny’s face went oddly soft for just a split second. Then he smiled so hugely, Steve gasped. “Yeah, I am. I want you there, will you come? I know you have gifts for the kids, don’t think I didn’t see those surfboards by the tree, Steven. Thanks for asking, by the way, sure, you can take my offspring out in the dangerous waters of Waikiki.”

Steve would never be able to say which part of that pushed him over the edge, but by the time Danny had finished his tirade against Steve’s choice of Christmas gifts for Charlie and Grace, Steve’s mouth was firmly planted on Danny’s and tongues were beginning to be involved.

Without Steve being aware of it, Danny somehow navigated them back inside, to the sofa. _Ahh, plans come to fruition_ , Steve found himself thinking, as he was pressed into the supple leather, his shirt tugged up over his head, lei and all, bare skin skidding as he slid to lower himself, pulling Danny along with him.

Danny shivered as Steve pushed his shirt off his shoulders, exposing that golden flecked chest to the artificially chilly air.

“Do you have the AC on, Steven?”

“Are you cold? I put the quilt on my bed, it’ll be warm there....”

“Oh, I see how it is,” Danny smiled, biting Steve’s lower lip, then pulling him up with him, and heading towards the stairs. “Well, in that case....”

Steve did not need to be asked twice. Within moments they were naked and jumping under the quilt. If Steve shuddered then, it wasn’t because the sheets were cold.

“I think I need to warm you up....” Danny breathed into Steve’s mouth, pressing his body against Steve’s. “I’ve been thinking of this all day....” His voice low and rumbly as he held back from kissing Steve.

Steve swallowed. “Me too,” he admitted.

A smile formed on Danny’s lips, as he looked down at Steve. “Good.”

They began a slow cataloging of all the various things they’d spent the day thinking of, and maybe it got a little competitive at times, but always it ended in kissing, often in laughing, and a couple of times with tears... of relief, of release, of utter and complete joy.

 

Steve woke to being kissed by Danny. Deciding he never wanted to wake up any other way, he wrapped his arms around Danny and sighed into the kiss.

After a while, Danny pulled back. “Make me coffee?” He asked.

Smiling, leaving one more kiss on those tempting lips, he got up, not bothering to put clothes on, because if Danny was going to be demanding, he deserved to be aware of what he was delaying, and headed to the kitchen to make coffee.

Looking around at the mess they’d left downstairs (the music was still on, as were the lights—all that food had gone to waste) Steve found not only that he didn’t mind, he actually found himself feeling it was some kind of completely fair trade off... a sacrifice made to the spirits of Christmas, to grant him his greatest wish. Shaking his head at himself for foolish thinking, he headed to the kitchen to make coffee.

When he came back upstairs, Danny looked like he’d barely moved. No one would ever accuse Danny of being a morning person. Steve handed Danny a mug of hot coffee. “Here you go,” and he sat down next to him, pulling the quilt back up around them. “And here, your gift.” He handed Danny a box tied with a bow—his own gift wrapping skills were nothing to write home about.

Danny took a sip of coffee, set the cup down, and turned to the package. Untying the ribbon, and lifting off the lid, he looked inside. Steve thought he saw a flicker of something in his eyes before he closed them, turned to Steve, and said: “Socks. How romantic.”

Steve smiled shyly into his coffee. “You don’t know, do you?” He had wondered. All this time, he’d wondered—because it sure seemed to him that every time Danny sat in a way he seemed to be showing off his penchant for fancy, patterned socks... it seemed like he was flirting with Steve. Well, that’s how it always felt to him. Like some kind of seductive temptress, saying—look at how much thought I put into my footwear, even here, on this crazy island. Something about it just drove Steve crazy. If he’d maybe come to imagine Danny intended it just for him, well, maybe it wasn’t completely wishful thinking, given how last night had gone. But maybe Danny didn’t do it on purpose, maybe it was just another of those Danny things where he put himself out there without really meaning anything by it. Steve was having a mini battle with himself over that thought when he noticed the way Danny was looking at him. _Huh. That was interesting_.

Danny shut his eyes on a smile, shook his head just a little. “I didn’t think you noticed,” he whispered. “You never react.”

Steve’s lips formed an “ohh” and he knew he was blushing. Biting back the “You jerk” that so wanted to escape, he managed instead a somewhat stammering, nearly flustered: “That’s because you don’t exactly pick your times very well!” He stopped for a few breaths.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” Danny feigned innocence.

“Team meetings for one—”

“Always boring, have to amuse myself somehow.”

“Our therapy sessions??”

Danny just smiled.

“Negotiations with witnesses?”

“Just trying to provide some incentive.”

Steve took Danny’s coffee away from him. “Oh, you are impossible!” And kissed him, forcing him back into the pillows with maybe a little more strength than was needed—Danny wasn’t exactly resisting Steve. But he’d admit, taking some of that _incentivizing_ out of his partner now.... well. It seemed that had rather been his point.

“Took you long enough,” Danny gasped between kisses.

Steve tried to shut him up with kisses and other things, but Danny had a remarkable ability to keep talking. Of course, that talent had saved their lives more times than once, so Steve wasn’t really complaining. It kind of became a game for him to see what things could lead to Danny not talking. The answer was _not much_.

“You actually think I’m going to wear the pineapple ones, babe? Really?”

“Yes,” was all Steve would say. His hands were a bit more expressive.

“The heart ones, I’ll absolutely wear those, but not on Valentine’s Day, just so we’re clear on that. Dumb holiday.”

“Agreed,” Steve whispered to Danny’s own heart.

“The fireworks ones, those I might wear today, actually,” Danny murmured, as Steve reached lower.

“Mmmmm,” was all Steve could say in response, though he hoped his actions indicated his approval of the idea.

After that, Steve was pretty sure Danny kept on about socks and which ones he would and wouldn’t wear when (the Christmas trees in July, he was pretty sure got said a couple times—he might have been just a little bit proud of having made Danny lose his train of thought), but Steve had to admit, he kind of tuned Danny out.

Some while later, when they were back to the land of coherence, and drinking (now cold) coffee, Danny rested his hand on Steve’s heart, his head on his shoulder, leaned over to press a kiss to Steve’s chest, and looked up into his eyes. Steve’s heart skipped several beats, and he felt his arms grow warm.

“Hey,” he said softly, twining his hand with Danny’s.

“Aren’t you going to ask what I got you for Christmas?” Danny asked, bringing Steve’s hand up for a kiss.

Steve looked down at Danny. “I got everything I ever wanted,” he said, voice filled with awe.

Danny huffed out a breath. Closed his eyes on a smile, and Steve could feel him swallowing back tears. It was true, though. Inviting him over to be with Danny and the kids... that had been more than just the icing on the cake. So much more.

“And a really nice lei,” he added, to lighten the tone a little.

Danny licked his lips, then pressed them together in a smirk.

“There’s more,” Danny finally managed.

“Oh, yeah?” 

“Yeah. You know how I’m taking the kids home to Jersey for spring break?”

Steve smiled. He’d been so thrilled when Danny’d finally managed to get Rachel to agree to let him take Charlie home to meet his family. Steve knew Danny had already planned the whole trip out, way too many things scheduled, including tickets to a Mets game.

“Yeah, buddy, I’m so excited for you.”

“Well I hope you’re excited for you, too. Because you’re coming with us.”

Steve’s mouth fell open. “Danny, are you sure?” His heart had stopped, his head felt woozy, and he couldn’t seem to breathe.

Danny sat up, and climbed on top of Steve, looking down into his eyes with such a wave of emotion, Steve suddenly felt like he was drowning. “Babe. I’ve never been more sure of anything. Except this.” And he kissed Steve firmly.

He had to stop after a bit, because the tears were rolling down Steve’s cheeks.

“Thank you,” Steve murmured, as Danny used a corner of the sheet to wipe Steve’s tears away.

Danny chuckled softly. “I figure it’s about time, on all counts.”

Steve smiled at that. “Yeah,” he replied, twining their fingers back together. “It sure is.”

“Well, we’ve plenty of time to talk about that, but we have Christmas with the kids to get ready for... and I might have done the shopping, but the tree isn’t up, and the fridge is empty....”

Steve wasn’t sure if shock was what he felt, or if it was more like he should have seen it coming. He had a sudden thought. “Is that why...?” He trailed off. Danny was looking slightly sheepish, but also hopeful.

“No, of course not, you idiot. But you will help me?”

Steve laughed. “Yes, Danny. I will help you. I will be delighted to help you get the house ready for Christmas with the kids. Of course I will.”

He was rewarded for his willingness with a kiss, and a promise, he knew, of more to come.

“Excellent. We’d better get going—still lots to do!” And Danny sprung out of bed, threw some clothes at Steve, grabbed his pants, and headed for the stairs.

Yes, there was a lot to get done, but Steve was already planning how they’d celebrate when they finished. He was pretty sure this was going to be a really wonderful Christmas.

**Author's Note:**

> The socks, in case you were wondering: Pineapples, hearts, fireworks, Christmas trees, shamrocks, Easter eggs, flowers, pumpkins, turkeys, confetti, books, and ocean waves.


End file.
